Close Menu

A collection of interesting articles

Move over Apple Watch. Step aside, Android Wear: you two aren’t the only games in town. While most people are still buzzing over some kind of Android vs. Apple war, there are plenty of great startups and even established companies that are turning to wearable technologies. Smart watches and bands aren’t necessarily new, but they’re getting interesting updates that make us very excited for the future. After all, why shouldn’t you have an app that really monitors what you’re doing, how you’re taking care of yourself, and helps you make smart changes to your health? The future just looks better and better.

But since we’re trying to move away from the “big stuff”, who else is shaking up this space? Glad you asked. Below are four interesting examples of wearable tech that you might have missed.

1. Nixie

People that lead active lifestyles love to post about it on social media. But trying to take a good action shot can be difficult if you’re into extreme sports. Even if you’re just trying to perfect the ultimate skateboard trick, you don’t want to pause too long to take pictures.

So, imagine having a camera that lives on your wrist and then flies around to take a shot at the perfect time? Not only can you take still photos with Nixie, but you can get great videos that capture all of your adrenaline junkie moments. We really liked seeing Nixie in action, and imagined it would be something cool to check out very soon.

2. Blocks

Ever wanted to take a smartwatch and fine tune it to meet your meets? Well, Blocks helps you fulfill that need. It’s still in the pre-launch phase, which means that it’s not quite ready yet. What makes Blocks so interesting is that it’s designed form the ground up to be modular. So if you want a personal assistant on your wrist, you can get that. If you want to focus more on travel, you can do that. Just about everything you can think of can be accomplished by mixing and matching different modules together. That type of custom experience can be difficult to have through other channels, which is why it’s cool to see it here. Continue reading %s →

Local churches provide a safe haven for their congregation, and some look beautiful, but none of them are in the top 4 most beautiful churches around the world. After months of research, we found four jaw-dropping churches you might have never seen:

#4 Saint Mark’s Basilica (Venice, Italy)

Constructed in 1650, Saint Mark’s Basilica church is considered the most famous in Venice, Italy. We believe it’s the fourth most beautiful church in in the world thanks to a combination of Byzantine, Gothic, and Italian Gothic architecture. When you visit this magnificent church, most of the “to-do” options are free, but there are still areas you have to pay to see. Our favorite is being able to see St. Mark’s tomb.

St. Mark, the patron saint of notaries, wrote the second Gospel. History only takes an educated guess and believes it is some time before 60 A.D. He was a part of the missionary journey to Cyprus along with St. Paul and St. Barnabas (his cousin). He even brought for St. Peter’s teachings to the Romans.

The next time you visit this top 4 most beautiful churches in the world, be sure to go straight to the top. The views of Venice are nothing short of enchanting.

#3 Westminster Abbey (London, England)

Creating a top 4 church list wouldn’t be the same if Westminster Abbey was missing. It is considered one of the biggest landmarks the entire country of England, and one of the most beautiful structures. Built in the 10th century, Westminster Abbey mainly utilized Gothic architecture when it was built. A renovation of the abbey took place around 1245, but lasted an astonishing 200+ years.

In 1539, King Henry VIII changed the status of the abbey to a cathedral. This was due in part to most of the abbeys in England were being destroyed. By turning it into a cathedral, Henry VIII was able to keep Westminster Abbey from crumbling. However, today it is neither a cathedral nor an abbey, but it’s still #3 on our top 4 most beautiful churches in the world.

#2 Hagia Sophia (Istanbul, Turkey)

This Greek Orthodox patriarchal church was built in 537 A.D., and served as a premier church in Turkey for over 900 years. By 1453, the Hagia Sophia was switched over to an Eastern Orthodox cathedral. However, due to wars in the first half of the 13th century, it was even a Roman Catholic Church.

Over the next 475+ years, Hagia Sophia was transformed into a mosque (Muslim place of worship), and continued this practice until 1935 when it became a museum. It is by far one of the most magnificent architectural structures in the world, especially when compared to other churches.

Even though it became a museum, the building is still in existence today. We were going to remove the Hagia Sophia from our top 4 most beautiful churches in the world list, but with such beauty and appeal; we couldn’t resist.

#1 Sagrada Familia (Barcelona, Spain)

The first time you see images or visit the Sagrada Familia, you will be taken-back by its surreal setting. Even though this beautiful church starting being built in 1882, it still isn’t complete today. However, architect Antoni Gaudi’s vision was far more advanced when compared to other church structures.

If the Sagrada Familia ever gets completed, this Roman Catholic Church will still look like its well ahead of its time. Standing 558 feet tall, seeing it in person will be quite overwhelming. Once you get inside, Gaudi’s vision was for us to see three vaults (nave, crossing, and apse) as soon as we entered.

Long story short, once you see this for yourself, it’s easy to understand why it’s our #1 choice of the top 4 most beautiful churches in the world.

From personal experience, university seems like the clear path after finishing your a-levels. The opportunity to improve your skills in a specific subject, earn a higher qualification and make your parents proud seems inviting. Or perhaps you just want to avoid adult life for another three years. Well whichever way you look at it, uni isn’t for everyone, and here’s five reasons why:

1. Expense.

Currently in Britain, the average cost for a student to study at a University is around £9,000 (for UK/EU students) and an average price for the International student would land around £12,000. With living fee’s on top of that, the average price for three years as a student could be up to £40,000. Seems like an awfully lot of money, huh? I’ve read that a graduate will earn on average 60% more than a non-graduate over the course of their lifetime, but this will definitely not apply to everyone. You could spend those three years earning £40,000 instead.

2. Too Young.

At 18 years of age, can you honestly say you know exactly what career you want when you’re older? I chose to study engineering after studying maths and physics at a-level and just plodded along the course until the end of my first year when I realised that I actually had no interest in the subject whatsoever! If you need help, talk to your connexions dude. I met many fellow students who had chosen courses for various reasons and hated it but wanted to stick with it just for the purpose of a degree. Life is too short for that kind of attitude, who wants a job they don’t enjoy?

3. You can learn without being in lecture theatres.

In a world where information is at our fingertips, you don’t need to spend thousands a year for an education when you can browse the internet and read books on virtually any topic in the world, as well as attending online courses. Of course you may not be earning a qualification but if you’re interested in working in a specific area, reading up on anything based around that topic will increase your chances of a job. Most of my time, like others, spent in lecture theatres was spent doodling or falling asleep anyway. Most of the work I did was crammed into the two weeks before the exams.

4. You can work your way up a career ladder.

Starting from the bottom and working your way up sounds scary. But I believe people who do this instead of being a student, especially those who laze around all year (me), show determination and courage and will learn just as important skills on the frontlines. Perhaps an apprenticeship is for you?

5. You don’t need to have a degree to be successful.

To put it quite simply, having a degree doesn’t guarantee you success in the world of work. You hear about them all the time; Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Simon Cowell and many more celebrities have made their millions without going to colleges. What’s stopping you? If you’re determined and focused to earn a living in something you’re passionate about, anything’s possible.

Sure, being a student means you can be scruffy, lazy and an alcoholic whilst not worrying about the amount of debt you’re in but… actually that sounds great, ignore my list!

Paris is the city for lovers but it is also a great destination if you are traveling with kids. The city has a lot of sights for the family whether you love good food, arts, culture, and history. Here are some kid-friendly Paris destinations:

Bois de Boulogne

The Bolougne Woods used to be a forest where the royalties of France used to hunt for wild boars, deer, and wolves. It is not wise to go to the woods still but families can enjoy the fresh air and the open spaces. You can go the the lake in the park and rent bikes or paddle boats. When the kids get hungry, there is the Le Chalet des Iles, a fancy, magical restaurant.

Vincennes Woods

Chateau de Vincennes

This is another royal ground in the olden times but is now a great family destination. Kids and parents alike will enjoy the medieval Chateau de Vincennes and the Parc Floral de Paris. There are also puppet shows, cotton candy stalls, bike rides, and paddle boats around the park.

The Centre Pompidou

Locals call it the Beauborg. It has a wacky architecture and has been known as a culture supermarket in Paris. For its colorful exterior pipes, the Parisians called it Our Lady of the Pipes. The yard in front of the building is also buzzing with activities that kids might find interesting. We are talking about fire-eaters, mimes, musicians, and sword-swallowers. Continue reading %s →

Super foods are important not only for the health of adults, but also for kids. Super foods are vital for the physical condition of all children, because they are nutritional, energizing, and healthy. Here are 5 Super Foods that you should give to your kid to eat.

Oatmeal – The Ultimate Super Food Breakfast for Kids

It is a super food rich in fiber; the level of fats is low. In addition, oatmeal contains iron and protein. It’s an extraordinary affordable alternative to cereal for a good breakfast. Nourishing and simple to prepare, oatmeal is a breakfast favorite since a long time. In the contemporary years, though, it has also been extensively hailed as a part of a nutrition that can lessen cholesterol. Each cup of oatmeal has soluble fiber (around 6 grams) that can assist in decreasing your LDL and overall cholesterol levels.

Berries – Some Health Benefits and Preparation Advices

Having high vitamin and antioxidant levels, berries are one of the greatest super foods for kids. Blueberries particularly are considered good for kids – they enhance immunity and brain functionality, and improve eye health. If your kids aren’t keen on fresh blueberries, you can try to freeze the fruits. Here are a number of other ideas:

Mix blueberries with some water or apple juice and then freeze them into ice dice trays.

Mix blueberries and yogurt.

Make a combined – berry smoothie that contains blueberries. Frozen blueberries are great for smoothies. Adding yogurt, milk, or anything else you would like to the mixture works perfectly and kids enjoy it.

Leafy Greens

These include spinach, broccoli, kale, and some others. If your kids flip up their nose on these vegetables, you can try raw broccoli with dip. For other greens like kale and spinach, here are a number of things to try:

You can mince the greens and use them as topping for pizza, or in meatballs and meatloaves.

You can make a smoothie with chunked apple, leafy greens, and apple juice.